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Scientists discover the secret behind zombie plants
If the fungal spore outbreak in The Last of Us scared the hell out of you, you'll be doubly terrified to know that there are actual parasites in nature that can turn animals and plants into zombies. In fact, a group of scientists from the John Innes Centre in the UK just figured out how certain parasitic bacteria called phytoplasma turn their plant host into the living dead. You see, when these nefarious bacteria take over, they transform a plant's flowers into leafy shoots, turning petals green and preventing the flowers from producing offspring. Apparently, that's because the parasite has a protein called SAP54, which interacts with the plant so that flowers self-destruct from the inside.
Black Gold Online unleashes the Beastmaster
Snail Games has announced the new Beastmaster class for its steampunk-flavored MMO Black Gold Online. As you might imagine, the Beastmaster commands beasts and the power of nature. Its main role is that of summoner and crowd control, but with heavy mail armor and two-handed weapons at its disposal, the class can also do a fair bit of tanking. Special moves include Law of the Jungle, a stealth ability that increases critical hit damage; Thunder-crack, a spell that summons a powerful tropical storm; and Spirit Creature, an area-of-effect spell that causes damage to a wide area. Be sure to check out the official class announcement for more info and screenshots of this new class. [Thanks to Novas for the tip!]
UCSF study shows gaming makes you cognitively younger (video)
A slew of negatives plague video games -- Peter Pan Syndrome, hyper-violence, camping -- but their youthfulness could do just what Nintendo's Brain Age promised: improve elderly brain function. Over four years, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco had a group play a custom game (video of it in action is after the break) that tasks players to drive and identify road signs that appear while ignoring certain others, according to the New York Times. It's not quite Grand Theft Auto, but it proved how hard successfully multitasking becomes with age. However, after training with the game, the 60 to 80 year old test subjects stomped those a fraction of their age who had no prior exposure to it. What's more, this experience produced brain functionality benefits outside of the game. This isn't a fluke, either. For proof, the scientists used electroencephalography to monitor the older subjects and found that while playing, the theta wave activity -- associated with attention -- in their prefrontal cortexes looked like that of younger adults. These findings may help scientists understand what areas of the brain "could and should" be manipulated to improve cognitive functions like memory. The study appears in today's edition of Nature and backs up similar research from May that also used a concentration-heavy game, and reported like results. Now if you'll pardon us, we have to show our parents that all those hours of our childhood weren't wasted.
JVC Kenwood's wooden cube speakers offer realtime streaming of nature sounds
This year's CES has seen no shortage of wireless speakers of all shapes and sizes, but none quite like these options that JVC Kenwood has introduced in Japan. Available in 12.2 and 5.35-inch sizes, the cube-shaped speakers are made of wood and little else, with a vibrating frame producing the sound. As The Asahi Shimbun reports, that system isn't the best for producing deep bass (making them less than ideal for music), but it apparently fares considerably better with the medium and high-pitched sounds of birds and rustling tree branches. JVC Kenwood didn't just stop at the speakers themselves, though. It's also offering a subscription service to go along with them, which will stream realtime sound from microphones set up in the mountains of Takayama and Morotsuka. Not surprisingly, these don't come cheap. The small one with set you back ¥60,000 (or about $680), with the larger model running a hefty ¥300,000, or more than $3,400 -- the subscription service also comes with an unspecified monthly fee.
Nature-inspired nano-material builds a better electrode, points to greener future (video)
From the apple falling on Newton's head to batteries made out of root extract, scientists have long turned to nature for ideas. Following that tradition, the brainiacs over at the University of Reading have developed a new nano-material electrode coating based on the cellular structure of plants. Essentially a network of tiny wires, it features a larger surface area than flat electrodes, giving it the leverage it needs to convert more electricity in a smaller form factor. This could lead to cheaper cell production and good things for the future of green energy. "This novel electrode coating technique has applications for fuel cells in the newest generation of hybrid cars, photovoltaic cells, rechargeable batteries or battery production for a wide range of green technologies," said the university's Dr. Adam Squires. Hopefully this sort of technology makes its way to consumers in a timely fashion, but in the meantime we can't help but marvel at how this nature-inspired technology is being used to save its muse. Poetic, isn't it? To find out how the nano-material is made, check out the source and the video after the break.
Shizen: Oceanscapes for iOS is relaxing and free
The makers of My Living Desktop for Mac OS X have released a free version of the app for iOS. Called Shizen: Oceanscapes, it features beautiful high-resolution looped movies of two tranquil scenes with audio on your iPhone or iPad for those who want some relaxation. The apps are ready for Apple's Retina display. Shizen is the Japanese word for nature. One scene depicts a windswept beach in Washington State. The other is a colorful coral reef that beats any of the computer graphic aquarium variety. You can run the video full screen or in letterbox mode and add a clock. There is a volume control for the natural sounds. %Gallery-173883% If you're hungry for more, the developers will be glad to sell you another eight screens for US$2.99 as in in-app purchase. I downloaded the free version to my iPad 3 and the video is truly stunning. It might be great to have running on your desk while you use a desktop or laptop computer, and it's a nice addition to a nightstand. I'd love to see a sleep function that would turn it off after a set period. Shizen: Oceanscapes is a nice holiday gift from the folks at Amuse Inc. and I find it a nice addition to my iPad and a great demo of the screen quality. The app is a 350 MB download (the added scenes are there waiting to be unlocked) and the app runs on any iPhone from the 3GS on up, the fourth- and fifth-generation iPod touch and the iPad. It needs iOS 6.0 and has been optimized for the iPhone 5. I have some sample scenss in the gallery but they don't capture the detail of the real thing.
Daily iPhone App: National Geographic Birds: Field Guide to North America
National Geographic has just launched at new version of its Field Guide to Birds of North America which in printed form is one of THE references for dedicated birders. The app lets you carry around a tremendous amount of information in your pocket about the habits of birds, maps to their habitats and even recordings of their calls. The app is not web based, so it's a big one. Really big -- 839 MB of big, so be sure before you buy and download that you have the room. Of course, this means it's available when you are out in the wild, and nowhere near a cell tower. The app features videos of selected birds, and connects to the Internet only for the latest birding news. There are a series of filters to help you identify what you are seeing in the field, like habitat, time of year, month, color and more. The app has now added a personal journal, quizzes and a birding tool kit with tips and tricks for beginners or advanced amateurs. One thing missing is a straight search option, which is surprising. You can get alphabetical lists of birds, or sort them any number of ways, but if you are simply looking to quickly get to information about any bird, that can't be done with a word search. I should also note that this app is really designed for the iPhone or iPod touch. On the iPad you have to scale it up, which is silly given the number of people who would like a native version for that device. The app is US$9.99, not cheap but certainly a value for its usefulness. The paperback version of the same information lists for almost $30.00 but can be had for less online. This app is simply brimming over with useful information and audio-visual features that take it beyond what the printed version can do. It should be a universal app so iPad users can get more benefit from it, and I think it needs better search features, but birders will be enthusiastic about the many positive aspects of this app. %Gallery-172479%
BBC announces YouTube original content channels for science, nature
Hot on the heels of YouTube's launch of 60 new original content channels, the BBC has announced that it will be partnering with Google's video service to present two of those. The UK broadcaster said it will introduce a nature channel, with content coming from its BBC Earth Productions unit, and a science channel featuring Top Gear presenter James May "and his crack team of scientists." The new portals will come online in 2013, and "Auntie Beeb" has also redesigned its six current YouTube stations and added new clips from Top Gear (season 18) and other original programs, too. All that comes along at the same time as the refreshed iPlayer -- another way the company's been creative with technology, lately.
Fake jellyfish made from rat cells have a place in our hearts (video)
There's a whole sea of jellyfish out there ready to sting indiscriminately. So, why do we keep trying to make them? Scientists from Harvard and Caltech have a pretty good reason for creating fake jellies -- they hope to mend broken hearts by adapting their 'pumping' style of movement. Much like our own vital organ, the creatures are a mass of muscle adept at shifting fluid, meaning the research has several medical applications, such as bioengineered pacemakers for busted tickers. In creating the Medusoids, the team used a silicon scaffold coated in functional rat cardiac tissue, copying the muscle layout of a real jellyfish as best they could. When immersed in salt water and treated to bursts of current, the cells contract and cause the silicon sheet to move in a way eerily similar to the real thing. Next step for the team? An autonomous version that can move and potentially feed without their influence, of course. And, after seeing the little swimmers in action, we've certainly got palpitations. See what we mean after the break.
Researchers capture a single atom's shadow, has implications for quantum computers
A very small atom can cast a very large shadow. Well, not literally, but figuratively. Researchers at Griffith University have managed to snap the first image of a single atom's shadow and, while the dark spot may be physically small, the implications for the field of quantum computing are huge. The team of scientists blasted a Ytterbium atom suspended in air with a laser beam. Using a Fresnel lens, they were able to snap a photograph of the dark spot left in the atom's wake as the laser passed over it. The practical applications could improve the efficiency of quantum computers, where light is often used to transfer information. Since atoms have well understood light absorption properties, predictions can be made about the depth of a shadow cast, improving communication between the individual atoms performing calculations. The research could even be applied to seemingly mundane and established fields like X-Ray imaging, by enabling us to find the proper intensity levels to produce a quality image while minimizing damage to cells. For more info, check out the current issue of Nature.
New wireless transmission tech hits 2.56Tbps, leaves WiFi feeling inadequate
Stoked about the gigabit speeds your new 802.11ac WiFi router is pumping out? One group of scientists hailing from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and universities in the US, Israel and China isn't so impressed, having generated a wireless signal clocking in at 2.56Tbps. Proof of the feat was published in Nature Photonics, which details their use of orbital angular momentum (OAM) to make the magic happen. Current wireless protocols alter the spin angular momentum (SAM) of radio waves to hold info, and by combining both methods the team was able to pack eight data steams into a single signal, resulting in the mouth-watering number noted above. The best part is, applying different levels of OAM twist to SAM-based transmissions theoretically allows an infinite number of streams per signal, meaning seriously increased bandwidth without the need for additional frequency. So far the wireless tests have only been conducted over a measly 1m, but the scientists reckon it'll work at distances up to 1km and that the concept could also be used to boost speeds in existing fiber-optic cables. As with many scientific advances, it's unlikely hardware capable of such speeds will be available any time soon, so 802.11ac will have to suffice... for now.
Study says wind turbines raise surrounding area temperature, but only at night
Who said the butterfly effect couldn't apply to renewable energy? Though wind farms are considered pretty green on the energy-generating spectrum, it looks like they, too, have an impact on the planet. According to a study published today in the journal Nature Climate Change, turbines can raise the local temperature -- albeit slightly. From 2003 to 2011, researchers monitored satellite data for west-central Texas, which is home to 2,350-plus turbines and four of the world's largest wind farms. In that decade, scientists observed a temperature increase of 0.72 degrees in wind farm regions compared to areas without turbines. That warming trend was especially marked at night, when the temperature difference between the ground and the air is highest. The temperature increase was also higher in winter; researchers say that these cooler, windier conditions cause turbines to generate more electricity and therefore create more heat. Since the study didn't find any change in daytime temperatures, it looks like we don't have to ring the global warming alarm just yet.
Patterned by Nature: it's big, blocky and earth-approved (video)
Quick quiz: which consumes more power, an "energy-efficient" 55-inch LED TV, or the 90-foot "Patterned by Nature" video installation at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences? It's actually a trick question, because the sculpture does eat less power -- just 75 watts -- but then it only has a fraction of the TV's pixels. Each of its 3600 "dots" is in fact a 6-inch glass pane which can vary its transparency, a decidedly more lo-fi approach than similar tech we've seen before, but no less arresting as a result. As the video shows, it combines an eight channel soundtrack with twenty Mario-like animations on its serpentine skin -- ranging from bacteria to flocking geese -- to bring mother nature to the viewer without sapping her energy.
Robot jellyfish feeds on its surroundings, looks for a job in underwater surveillance
We've seen plenty of robots inspired by nature, but this robot jellyfish developed by researchers from University of Texas at Dallas and Virginia Tech goes one big step beyond mimicking a jellyfish's movements. It's powered by hydrogen, which means that it could potentially stay underwater for prolonged periods of time and constantly refuel itself from the water around it. That, the researchers say, could make it ideal for underwater surveillance or search and rescue operations, but they still have a fair bit of work to do before that happens -- their next step is to increase its maneuverability. Head on past the break to check it out in its current state.
Know Your Lore: The sources of magic, part 3
The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft. Last week, we talked about arcane magic (including fel energy and shadow) and the magic of the Holy Light (which also has shadow as a kind of opposite force). If that's not confusing enough, this week, we talk about the magic of shaman and druids, either of which could in its own way be called natural magic. In part 1 of this series, we talked about the various means by which magical energy can be tapped. One of these magical "fonts" is the Emerald Dream, a kind of palimpsest dimension that lays beneath and mimics Azeroth. It is, essentially, the first draft of creation, the blueprint to which the world would be returned to in the event of reorigination. It's Azeroth before the original Sundering, before intelligent life, as it was the second the Titans considered their creation complete. The reason Ysera of the dream is charged with protecting and safeguarding the Dream is that it is the world's base state.
Microdrones' flying robot films African wildlife, finds peace with nature
Sit back, relax and grab a cold one, because you're about to take an aerial tour of the Serengeti, courtesy of that flying drone you're staring at. Developed by Microdrones, this MD4-100 quadrotor was recently sent off to Kenya, where it gathered footage for a TV nature documentary produced by TBS Japan. By hovering over the terrain, the craft was able to get relatively up close and personal with zebras, elephants and other wildlife, without creating the same kind of disturbance that heavy duty, camera-laden trucks can wreak. Presumably, that's because the animals have no idea what to make of a flying robot, though part of us wants to believe there's some sort of full-circle, techno-evolutionary dynamic at work here, momentously bringing bot and beast together in some sort of pre-apocalyptic symbiosis. But that's just us. Hover past the break to see the video for yourself.
Wasteland Diaries: Apocalypse DIY
A few weeks back I did a piece on crafting, covering the basics of Fallen Earth's crafting system. In this article I want to focus on the early part of a crafter's career. If you only play one clone, I strongly suggest you make that clone a crafter. If you are an altaholic like I am, you should have a dedicated crafter, and that dedicated crafter should have his Social skill maxed out (eventually). If you don't have a crafter and you have an empty character slot, you need to create one post-haste. It's a little extra work that will pay off a lot later. In Fallen Earth, if you put in the time, you can make everything. If your crafter and your main happen to be the same, be sure to grab every resource within reach while you run missions. If you find a good spot, mark it with a waypoint (ALT+P) for future reference. Scavenging profusely will help keep you from being perpetually broke. If you have a dedicated crafter, don't bother running missions with him; just harvest and craft. He should level slowly but surely by simply harvesting and crafting. Send all of the materials that your other clone(s) harvest if you have the vault space. That covers the basics. The road to self-sufficiency continues after the cut.
iLog holds up your iPad while you watch Ren & Stimpy episodes
In the never-ending quest to merge nature and technology, an iPad stand has emerged that would make a lumberjack proud. iLog by Twistedtwee is an iPad stand made from "carefully chosen re-claimed London wood," and it makes your iPad feel at home in any log cabin. The stand accommodates an iPad vertically and horizontally, and it looks pretty cool when you run a fireplace app on your iPad. Yeah, some might say it's just a log, but doesn't everyone want a log? Best of all, if your place ever gets too cold, you can actually burn the stand in your fireplace. The iLog stand is £35.00 and ships from the UK. [via Swiss-Miss]
D-Wave One claims mantle of first commercial quantum computer
Whether or not D-Wave has actually built a quantum computer is still a matter of debate (though, a study authored by the company and published in Nature claims to prove its success) but, whatever it is these crafty Canadians have created, you can order one now and start crunching qubits with abandon. The D-Wave One is the first commercially available quantum computer and, while its 128-qubit processor can only handle very specific tasks and is easily outperformed by traditional CPUs, it could represent a revolution in the field of supercomputing. As D-Wave scales up to thousands or tens-of-thousands of qubits, complex number theory problems and advanced cryptographic systems could crumble before the mighty power of quantum annealing... or at least give us faster Google searches. Just out of curiosity, we contacted D-Wave to see how much we'd have to cough up for a quantum desktop of our own, but we've yet to hear back. Update: Joseph passed along an e-mail from the company with a little more information, including a price: $10,000,000. Yep, ten large, and we're not sure that includes the liquid helium required to keep it cooled.
HECTOR insect-inspired hexapod walking robot is a smooth operator (video)
We've seen some rather nightmare-inducing robots inspired by insects, but, once again, the folks at Germany's Bielefeld University have managed to turn something inherently creepy into a rather lighthearted affair. HECTOR, or hexapod cognitive autonomously operating robot, was designed to help its creators understand how exactly real animals manage to move so gracefully. Physically speaking, HECTOR sports six legs, with 18 joints in total, that protrude from an exoskeleton made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic. Its legs are given a rather life-like range of motion provided by a special set of "elastic joint drives" and a series of "biologically inspired" algorithms, and its exoskeleton can carry a load weighing 30 kilograms -- the robot itself weighs a mere 12 kilograms. What's more, HECTOR's built to learn from its experiences. Okay, so a three foot robotic insect that can carry nearly three times its weight does sound kind of creepy in retrospect, but HECTOR really does have some smooth moves. You can see at least one of its legs in action after the break.
